Proper Diets for Diabetic Gravida

Some women may develop abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy though they have no illness history of diabetes before and this is called gestational diabetes. This is because the placenta will secrete more and more lactogen along with the gestational age and this hormone can resist the insulin and the adrenal cortex hormone secreted by the gravida can also resist the insulin. What is more, the gravida can not secrete enough insulin. That is why women are more susceptible to diabetes during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes might cause fetal congenital deformity, neonatal hypoglycemia, respiratory distress syndrome, stillbirth, polyhydramnios, premature birth, urinary tract infection, headache in the pregnant women. It will not only affect the baby’s healthy development but will also affect the mother’s health, therefore it is very important to have close observation and measurement of blood sugar and maintain it in a stable level during pregnancy.

Considering the baby’s health and development, medicines and treatments should be chosen with more caution. In this regard, we can see that the dietary therapy is the most basic and appropriate treatment for diabetic gravida and the blood sugar can be brought under well control for 85% patients.

The proper diets for diabetic gravida are:

Coarse grain and foods that is rich in dietary fiber. For example, having unpolished rich to replace polished rice and having fresh vegetables and fruits instead of juices. This can help slow down and control the increase of blood sugar. But the amount of fruits should be limited because most fruits are high in sugar. If controlling of blood sugar is not ideal, the gravida will have to have cucumber and tomato to replace fruits. Vegetables such as konjac, celery, bamboo shoots, mushroom, edible fungus are all very rich in dietary fiber and they can help stabilize the blood sugar after meals.

Foods and drinks that contain monosaccharide should be limited or avoided such as soda water, fruit juice, fruit tea and most desserts such as chocolate and jam, etc. Besides, high-starch foods (potato and sweet potato, etc) and peanut, melon seed and walnut should be limited or avoided. Other dietetic contraindications for diabetic gravidas are caffeine, alcoholic beverage and tobacco.